Although a European Citizen' Initiative (ECI) cannot be submitted before the 1 of April 2012, when the Regulation setting out the procedures enters into force, the European Commission has already presented the website where citizens can officially register a ECI. The presentation was held during a conference celebrated in Brussels which brought together key players involved in using the ECI.

Maroš Šefčovič, Commission Vice-President and responsible for ECIs, Danish Minister for European Affairs Nicolai Wammen, the President of the Economic and Social Committee, Staffan Nilsson, the President of the Committee of the Regions, Mercedes Bresso, various MEPs and senior representatives from Facebook, Google, Twitter and Dailymotion attended to the 'Warming up for the European Citizens' Initiative' Conference celebrated in Brussels. During the Conference, it was presented the official Commission's website to register a ECI.

Commission Vice-President has also presented the free open source software that citizens can use to collect signatures online. Šefčovič highlighted that with the ECI, it will be provided a direct gateway for citizens to make their voices heard in Brussels, and it will also encourage real cross-border debates about EU issues. He also showed himself convinced that social media will play an important role in encouraging support for initiatives in the four corners of the EU.

From 1 April 2012, when the Regulation setting out the procedures and conditions for the citizens' initiative will begin to apply, 1 million citizens from at least one quarter of EU Member States will be allowed to invite the European Commission to bring forward proposals for legal acts in areas where the Commission has the power to do so. The Council adopted the Regulation in February 2011. The organisers of an ECI, a citizens' committee composed of at least seven EU citizens who are resident in at least seven different Member States, will have one year to collect the necessary statements of support. The number of statements of support has to be certified by the competent authorities in the Member States. The Commission will then have three months to examine the initiative and decide how to act on it.